How Mask Bans Threaten Free Speech, From New York to North Carolina | The Marshall Project

The problem with relying on identification technologies or some type of biometric technology is that you have to have a database that can compare the captured real time data. There is no all-encompassing database where cell phone usage can identify a person or facial recognition can identify a person. It’s difficult to identify a person after the incident.

Removing the mask would act as a deterrence. Why do people rob banks with masks on, because they don’t want to be identified. People who go to protests and act illegally would be deterred from doing so if they couldn’t wear masks. Most people are uncomfortable greeting a mask wearing stranger at their house. That’s because there is a certain connotation about people’s motives when they are wearing masks.

Privacy advocates worry banning masks at protests will encourage harassment, while cops’ high-tech tools render the rules unnecessary.
— Read on www.themarshallproject.org/2024/11/12/mask-bans-protest-surveillance

‘We helped each other. We taught each other the law.’ | The Lens

In 1983, to help fight the wrongful charge, Calvin Duncan began to teach himself the law, while being held within the Orleans Parish Prison in New Orleans. In his new book The Jailhouse Lawyer, co-written by Sophie Cull, he writes about that time in his life:
— Read on thelensnola.org/2025/07/08/we-helped-each-other-we-taught-each-other-the-law/

Crime Is Down in 2025. Trump Doesn’t Deserve Credit. | Vera Institute

For the past year, Donald Trump has been saying that “homicides are skyrocketing” and the country is “breaking down” with violence even as the data told a much different story. Now, as crime keeps declining, even Trump is finally changing his tune. Data and analysis from the FBI, Council on Criminal Justice, and Major Cities Chiefs Association all show that, overall, crime went down significantly in 2024, with violent crime largely returning to pre-pandemic levels. The good news defies expectations: homicide rates in Baltimore, Detroit, and St. Louis declined even beyond pre-pandemic levels to historically low 2014 rates. Now, early data suggests that the crime drop is continuing under Trump’s second term. It is still too early in the year to talk with confidence about crime trends in 2025, but at least one researcher projects that 2025 is on track to follow 2024 in terms of continued declines in homicides and violent crime.
— Read on www.vera.org/news/crime-is-down-in-2025-trump-doesnt-deserve-credit

Vancouver’s Innovative Retail Crime Fighting Solution – Project Barcode

Check out this podcast.

Vancouver’s Innovative Retail Crime Fighting Solution, Project Barcode, with Sgt. Craig Reynolds & Arezo Zarrabian, Vancouver Police Department (Encore) – Retail Council of Canada
— Read on www.retailcouncil.org/podcast/vancouvers-innovative-retail-crime-fighting-solution-project-barcode-with-sgt-craig-reynolds-arezo-zarrabian-vancouver-police-department-encore/

Rioting Mainly for Fun and Profit

What Edward Banfield’s work tells us about another summer of disorder and violence amid the anti-ICE protests
— Read on www.city-journal.org/article/los-angeles-anti-ice-protests-riots-edward-banfield

In Defense of Destroying Property | The Nation

The Nation Magazine
— Read on www.thenation.com/article/activism/blm-looting-protest-vandalism/

Police spending linked to shorter lives for Black Americans

The article “Police spending linked to shorter lives for Black Americans” discusses a new study that argues increases police spending results in increases police killings and suicide of black males. The article can be accessed HERE and in the article there is a link to the academic article.

It is interesting that the study didn’t include violent crime as a factor in it’s analysis. It is possible that with the killing of 11,528 black males (2022 see graph below), illustrates the impact that the amount of violent crime in a community could effect deaths and suicides of Black men?

In 2022 police killed 1,201 people. Of the police killings 26% (about 312) of the killings were of black people (men and females).

My question is – In 2022 what was more dangerous to Black communities in contributing to suicide and deaths? Was it violent crime with 11,528 homicides of Black men or the police killings of 312 Black individuals? Homicide of Black men was 36.9 times greater than police killing Black persons.

Turning Death into a Commodity – Ed Vogel – Inquest

ShotSpotter has leveraged gun violence into a multimillion-dollar business that promises safety but delivers only increased policing and drain on the public’s resources.
— Read on inquest.org/turning-death-into-a-commodity/

Annual Probation Survey and Annual Parole Survey | Bureau of Justice Statistics

Collect administrative data from probation and parole agencies in the United States. Data collected include the total number of adults on state and federal probation and parole on January 1 and December 31 of each year, the number of adults entering and exiting probation and parole supervision each year, and the characteristics of adults under the supervision of probation and parole agencies. Published data include both national- and state-level data. The surveys cover all 50 states, the federal system, and the District of Columbia. They began in 1980 and are conducted annually.
— Read on bjs.ojp.gov/data-collection/annual-probation-survey-and-annual-parole-survey

Spotlight on Criminal Justice: Supporting Law Enforcement and Safer Communities – May – R Street Institute

Make sure to checkout the links in this article. Excellent resources.

Spotlight on Criminal Justice: Supporting Law Enforcement and Safer Communities – May – R Street Institute
— Read on www.rstreet.org/commentary/spotlight-on-criminal-justice-supporting-law-enforcement-and-safer-communities-may/